


Promise Me

by jeleania



Series: Making It Work [6]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angsty?, Feels, Gen, Jack can be a self-sacrificing little shit, Jamie ain't gonna let Jack be alone, Not Anymore, reference of suicide, wanna hug these boys...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-14
Updated: 2013-09-14
Packaged: 2017-12-26 13:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/966219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeleania/pseuds/jeleania
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A late night chat between Jack, Jamie, and Jamie's mom ends with confessions and promises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise Me

* * *

 

"And Cupcake showed up, and she was pissed."

 

"Sent them packing?" Jack asked, passing his little brother a wet plate.

 

"Yeah, they won't be bothering them again." Jamie replied, drying and putting away the dinner dishes the teen handed him.

 

"Has Warthington and his pals been giving your group any trouble?"

 

Shaking his head, the twelve-year-old said, "No. They avoid us ever since you chased them off."

 

"Good." Jack reached into the sink and pulled out the plug, letting the dirty soapy water drain away. "No notes or whatever in the halls?"

 

"No, people have gotten used to us misfits, especially since we don't let any comments bother us." Putting away the last glass, Jamie turned and firmly said, "We believe, and that's that. No one can make us stop. It's like trying to convert someone's religion or something - as long as we hold on to our beliefs, they can't touch our hearts."

 

Leaning a hip on the counter as he dried his hands, the spirit smiled. "That's one way of putting it, I guess. It's okay if you out-grow us though, Jamie."

 

Crossing his arms, brown eyes sent a Look to his brother. "Why would I out-grow my big brother? I'm not going to stop believing in you and the others, Jack. And I'll share you with my kids and grandkids when I have them. End of story."

 

Lifting his hands, Jack gave in with a fond smile. "Okay, okay. I get it." Reaching over, he ruffled the boy's hair. "Now, go set up the game. I wanna trounce you again. I'll be up in a minute."

 

"Heh, in your dreams! I'm totally winning this time!" Jamie playfully replied as he walked out of the kitchen.

 

"You two are really close."

 

Jack turned to the woman sitting at the kitchen table who had been watching them this whole time. He was still getting used to the idea that she could see and hear him, even though he had been properly introduced to her a good two weeks ago. Picking up his cup of tea, he settled against the counter to chat. "He's a great kid and one of my best friends."

 

"He sees you as a brother."

 

"Yeah." Jack paused to take a sip of his drink. "He's like a little brother to me. I do my best for him, Mar - I mean, Ms. Bennett."

 

"You can call me by my first name, Jack." Jamie's mother waved off the formality. "After all, now that I know of you, I'm pretty sure you played with me as a kid. And I suspect that little horse ice statue I've had since I was nine was from you."

 

Nodding with a soft smile, Jack said, "Yep. I tend to make those for people, no matter whether or not they can see me."

 

Taking a swallow of her own mug of tea, Marie quietly said, "It helped a lot. You gave that to me right after I watched my father be killed. Whenever I was upset or missing him, I'd hold that little horse and would feel better. Like my world hadn't completely ended, like someone was still watching over me. Thank you for that."

 

Shrugging and staring down at his bare toes wiggling on the kitchen tiles, Jack said, "It's no problem. I just ... I just can't bear to see people hurt. Especially kids. I can't do much, but I know that every little bit helps, that it's the small things that lighten your mood and bring a smile however brief to your face. Those tiny lights of good times, they add up and make life worth living, can help pull a person out of the darkest pits of despair."

 

Biting her lip, a habit her son had picked up on, the woman carefully said, "Sounds like you're talking from experience."

 

Jack turned the mug in his hands, idly making frost patterns on the ceramic. Deciding that Jamie's mother deserved honesty as much as her son did, he quietly spoke. "I've lived over three hundred years. I've seen a lot of pain and suffering, lots of war and death. I couldn't help most of them, and it felt like what little I could do just wasn't enough. And I didn't know the Guardians back then, didn't have more than a handful of spirits who would have anything to do with me. I saw and experienced a lot, and I was very alone, isolated really. It got to me, and I got lost sometimes."

 

Nodding, she softly asked, "Did someone pull you out?"

 

Refusing to look up from the floor, Jack shook his head. "No. I fell, did some things that I hoped would - well, would end things. Found out that spirits don't die easily, that taking our own lives is really difficult. After a few unsuccessful tries, I gave up, and just drifted, didn't care about anything."

 

"What changed?"

 

A wondering little smile quirked his lips as he answered. "The children. I found a few who were going through their own hard times. No home, no family. But they took care of each other, and found reasons to laugh and smile. I watched them for a few months, then I had to bring winter to the area. But they played in the snow, kept laughing even though it was cold and they had to huddle together at night for warmth. I focused more on making kids happy after that. And they taught me to cherish all the little things in life that make the world a brighter place." 

 

Looking up, the winter spirit met her eyes. "Marie, I know that I've got issues, and I'm working on dealing with them. I know that Jamie knows about some of them, because I don't lie to him if he asks questions. I don't plan on letting him see me on my bad days, and I won't endanger him or anything. I was a protector of children long before I took the Guardian's Oath, and I will protect Jamie from myself if I have to."

 

"No!" Jamie ran into the room from where he'd been eavesdropping in the hall, tears on his face at overhearing some of what his big brother had been suffering through. Wrapping his arms around the startled teen's waist, he clung and stubbornly said, "Don't you dare try to shield me from this! Don't you dare avoid me when you're hurting! How am I supposed to help you if you're not around?!"

 

"Jamie..." Jack put his free hand on the boy's brown-haired head. "You shouldn't have to -"

 

Lifting his face from the blue hoodie, the boy glared up at the teen. "I'm your brother. Brothers take care of each other. Besides, I want to help you, Jack! Even if it's only giving you a hug or distracting you with a movie. It's like you said, kids help you see the good things in life that make it worth living. I can do that for you! But only if you let me be around. Please don't push me away..."

 

With a sigh, Jack put down his mug and embraced the boy, tears pricking his eyes as warmth filled his chest. "Okay, I won't push you away. I won't hide from you when I'm upset. I'll let you help me."

 

"You promise?" Jamie sniffled, squeezing the spirit's waist. 

 

"I promise." Jack replied. This kid was too good, he didn't deserve someone caring this much about him. But he was going to be selfish and hold on to him, to burden the boy with his problems and accept the support he offered.

 

"Good." The boy leaned back and rubbed at his cheeks. A hoodie-covered hand nudged his arm aside and dried the tear tracks. The pair shared a smile.

 

Looking to the table, Jack said, "I guess I can't do that after all, Marie."

 

"Good." Marie replied with a firm nod. "I wouldn't want you to anyways." Standing, she walked over and lay a caring hand on the winter spirit's cheek, wiping away a lonely tear with her thumb. "It's alright to let people take care of you, Jack. And I'm very proud of my Jamie for wanting to be there for you. I'm here as well, if you want someone else to talk to."

 

Jack stared in shock, then slowly nodded his head. He watched as the woman smiled at them both and walked out of the room. Just a simple touch and a kind look, and he felt oddly safe and welcomed. It reminded him of a woman long ago who had given her all so her two children would have a good life in the rugged American colonies. Must be a mother thing.

 

"Jack?"

 

With a blink, he broke out of his daze. Looking down, he found his little brother tucked against his side. "Yeah, Jamie?"

 

"Did you -" It was hard asking this, but he needed to know for sure. With a deep breath, he continued, "Did you really - really try to - you know..."

 

"Take my own life?" The teen finished, bringing his arms around the boy again in a hug they both needed.

 

"Yeah." Jamie whispered.

 

Letting out a tired sigh, the spirit told the truth. "Yes, I did. I haven't tried again in the past decade or so. But there were times when... Well, like I said, I got lost and tired and just wanted the pain to stop. So I tried."

 

Nodding, the younger male clutched the soft blue hoodie with his hands. "Have you thought about it since meeting me and the Guardians?"

 

Closing his eyes with shame, Jack answered. "Yes and no. Thoughts like those, they don't completely go away just because life gets better. I'll have bad days, or even just bad moments, when the thought comes to mind and I just want to -." He paused and took a deep breath, pushing away the darker emotions trying to rise up in his head. "But I find other things to think about, better things. And I haven't tried to do that in years. You and the others, you all make me happy, and I don't want to leave that."

 

Jamie swallowed hard, not liking the thought of losing his big brother. He didn't want to imagine a life without Jack around, it would be dull and bitterly cold and lonely. "When - when you have a bad day, can you promise to come to me? Or even the other Guardians? Just - Just don't be alone. Please?"

 

"Jamie, look at me." Waiting until brown eyes peered up at his face, Jack softly smiled, "I already come to you and the others. Just hanging out with you makes those dark thoughts fade. You help me just by being yourself, Jamie. I promise you. And I'll keep coming to see my little brother when I'm feeling bad, okay?"

 

"Okay." Taking and releasing a steadying breath, Jamie gave his brother another hug, then stepped back. "Do you want to talk more about this, or go play a video game?"

 

"I think we're done with this topic for tonight. It's better to do it in small doses." Jack replied with a fond smile.

 

Nodding, Jamie lead them out of the kitchen, his voice dropping to a whisper, "Oh, and are we still going to go on that trip next weekend?"

 

"As long as your mom doesn't find out, yes." Jack replied, sharing a mischievous look with the younger boy.

 

Jamie smiled back as they went up the stairs. Things weren't entirely okay, but he was here to help Jack. And more importantly, Jack was willing to accept his help.

 

Like he had done against Pitch that magical night four years ago, Jamie would guard the Guardians. Even from the darkness within themselves.

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> wavered on keeping or scrapping this story from the series, but decided that it needed to stay.
> 
> just so y'all know, I'm not sure where this train is going anymore. Jack just keeps talking, then Jamie butts in, and Bunny is glaring at me, and yeah...


End file.
